Many of us are glued to our phones and our social media accounts nearly 24/7 nowadays. We take them with us everywhere we go and feel lost if we don’t have them on us. Many of us are obsessed with seeing inside the lives of others and wishing our lives looked like theirs. What many of us neglect to see is that even their lives don’t look like that. We also tend to forget that our obsession with social media is really just an obsession that is easy and constant entertainment. People don’t realize how many benefits can come from doing a social media cleanse, even if it is just once a month. Many people have started to incorporate social media cleanses into their lives.
Many of you may be asking what a “social media cleanse” even is, am I right? Well, as the name would suggest, it’s a cleanse that involves distancing yourself from any and every social media platform that you actively participate in. It is typically a 24-hour cleanse but could be longer if you want to really push yourself. Some people even go as far as deleting the apps from their phone or deactivating their accounts for a day. So, what are the benefits then?
1. Better Sleep
This one is no secret to anyone since it has become fairly well known over the last few years. Many studies have found that people who use screens (phones, laptops, etc.) before bed suffer worse from insomnia than those who read before bed (just as an example). This is caused by blue light emissions from the devices which have been linked to sleep problems on numerous occasions. Browsing through your social media accounts before bed doesn’t allow for your brain to properly begin shutting down before getting a good night’s rest.
2. Better Mental Health
This goes back to what I mentioned above about people being able to very easily lie about their lives through a tiny space on your screen. The vast majority of social media users only post the best parts of their lives. This isn’t their fault though, everyone does this and realistically who would want to post a picture of the negative events in one’s life anyway? However, it is because of this that our excessive use of social media tends to create feelings of isolation, greed, jealousy and other negative emotions rather than positive ones. In some severe cases, it can even create mental health fears, like anxiety or depression. There is a link between a person’s social media accounts and anxieties around their personal identity. By giving up social media once a month, you can remove some of the mental health triggers and remind yourself of two things. The first one is that the things you see may not be the truth but may instead be an act. The second reminder is that you should be basing your identity on so much more than just what others can see.
3. Improved Posture
If we are constantly walking around with a screen in front of our face, then our eyes and therefore our neck are going to follow the screen. We are constantly looking down at the phone in our hands and this creates severe neck and shoulder pain over time. By taking a break once a month or even once a week, the limitation could help us to improve our posture. At the very least it could serve as a reminder to keep our posture in mind at other times as well.
4. Less Eye Strain
It is far from a secret that being on screens for extended hours of the day is bad for our eyes and our vision clarity. It can cause eye strain which can lead to headaches or migraines. If we can take a break from our phones every now and then, we could be doing ourselves a favour and give our eyes the much-needed break they deserve.
5. Increased Socialization
We are in a world now that is constantly connecting online. So, you would think that social media helps you be social and form connections. Don’t get me wrong, it can be a great tool for socializing sometimes, however, social media use often decreases face-to-face socialization. Social media can be an amazing tool for seeing what your distant friends and relatives are up to or talking to people that you otherwise might not be able to. One thing that needs to be remembered though; it IS NOT a substitute for personal interaction and in-person interactions. Even though we are amid a global pandemic right now, you can still be social with those that are a part of your small circle. Take a break and get close to the people you may have neglected lately. Talk to your mom, your brother or a friend and have a genuine conversation. Going on a social media cleanse may just be the push you need to communicate more with others in person, rather than through a screen. Keep in mind, phones and laptops weren’t always around and the people in the generations before ours communicated just fine.
All in all, a social media cleanse may be just the push you need to get back to a better you, both mentally and physically. It can be difficult the first time, even if you think it won’t be, so be prepared. However, I promise that if you continue to do these cleanses, you will begin to feel so much better about yourself and begin to dial back to who you were before social media consumed your time and attention.
Works Cited
Department of Health & Human Services. “Computer-Related Injuries.” Better Health Channel, Department of Health & Human Services, 31 May 2015, www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/computer-related-injuries.
Harvard Health Letter. “Blue Light Has a Dark Side.” Harvard Health Publishing, Harvard Medical School, May 2012, www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/blue-light-has-a-dark-side.
Larson, Elizabeth A., et al. “The Association Between Use of Electronic Media in Bed Before Going to Sleep and Insomnia Symptoms, Daytime Sleepiness, Morningness, and Chronotype.” Behavioral Sleep Medicine, www.tandfonline.com/doi/citedby/10.1080/15402002.2013.819468?scroll=top.